The Nintendo Wii U wasn’t the big success that Nintendo had originally hoped for. Not only was the game system under powered compared to the competitors at the time, but it failed in bringing over enough support from other third-party developers leaving the game console to be supported by a handful of desirable video game titles. This ultimately resulted in the Nintendo Wii U shutting down support in just over five years of it being officially released.
Luckily, the successor to the Nintendo Wii U was a different story. Nintendo took the same style as the Wii U’s GamePad and made it the console which could be taken on-the-go or setup in a dock to enjoy games on your television displays. Likewise, the system came with plenty of support for third-party developers which meant that gamers who picked up a Nintendo Switch would likely have access to the other big triple AAA titles that launch in the coming years. With all that said, there were a few big titles that launched on the Nintendo Wii U which has yet to make its way on the Nintendo Switch. We’re not sure if these games will ever release on the Nintendo Switch, but for the most part, if you wish to enjoy these titles officially then you may want to keep your Nintendo Wii U a bit longer.
#5 Yoshi’s Woolly World
Yoshi’s Woolly World was an interesting video game release. Nintendo took cues from their previous title release, Kirby’s Epic Yarn which crafted a new yarn-like world for Yoshi to dwell within. Players were sent on a new journey after the evil Magikoopa Kamek turned a majority of the Yoshi’s into yarn bundles. As a result, gamers must rescue their fellow Yoshi friends while attempting to stop Kamek and Baby Bowser from any more evil schemes. Like previous installments in the Yoshi franchise, this game was a platformer and launched on the Nintendo Wii U followed by the Nintendo 3DS.
At the time, both titles were received positively. Gamers and critics enjoyed the new visuals along with the mechanics of Yoshi’s Woolly World but apparently, it wasn’t enough to bring the title over to the Nintendo Switch. Instead of revamping the game for another release on their current supported console, Nintendo decided to make a brand new installment known as Yoshi’s Crafted World. Dropping the yarn aspect, Nintendo is turning Yoshi’s world into cardboard that allows developers to tweak the worldview with unique puzzles. Yoshi’s Crafted World has not released yet and it doesn’t have a specific release date attached to the project other than Nintendo attempting to bring the game out at some point this year.
#4 Kirby and The Rainbow Curse
Kirby has been around for decades and over the years we’ve seen some pretty incredible video game title releases. Back on the Nintendo Wii U, there was a game called Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, a title that used the display on the Wii U GamePad for majority of the game. This title followed Kirby as players attempted to bring color back into the world through the use of a paintbrush fairy. Through the GamePad display, players would create a line that would allow Kirby to follow on which ultimately allowed Kirby to reach difficult heights, perform attacks and solve puzzles.
Unfortunately, this Kirby title wasn’t one of the more favorably reviewed video games in the franchise. There was quite a mixed reception for both gamers and critics alike which could be the reason why Nintendo is not willing to give this title another chance on the Nintendo Switch. But that hasn’t stopped the company from attempting new mechanics and perhaps we’ll see some display interactivity when the next major Kirby installment releases.
#3 Super Mario 3D World
Nintendo has no shortage of Mario themed video game titles for their console and we’ve already seen plenty of them release on the Nintendo Switch. One title that may be left for the Nintendo Wii U is Super Mario 3D World, a title that was a sequel to the Nintendo 3DS game, Super Mario 3D Land. This title follows Mario and his crew going into a different realm in order to save fairy creatures from the evil Bowser. Gameplay was done as a side-scrolling platformer and as expected, the game was a massive success.
The game scored incredibly well, it made over 100,000 sells in its first week, and it helped spawn another franchise completely, Captain Toad. We’re unsure if this game would ever release on the Nintendo Switch, but with Nintendo bringing out New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe onto the console, perhaps enough sales could warrant Nintendo going back and bringing out a revamped edition of Super Mario 3D World.
#2 Pikmin 3
Pikmin first got its start back on the Nintendo GameCube and its last main installment release, Pikmin 3 hit the Nintendo Wii U in 2013. This game once again allowed players to control these small alien creatures as they explore the surface of a brand new planet while they attempt to build up their home. Our previous review for the game noted that the game was not only polished and offered mechanics that allowed for gamers young or old to enjoy while also providing enough strategy for players to take seriously.
The game even managed to score highly with other game critics online and actually helped move units for the Nintendo Wii U, which was something Nintendo had trouble to begin with. So oddly enough when the Nintendo Wii U tanked and the company brought out the Nintendo Switch, it left this title behind. There’s no word on if Pikmin 3 will make its way onto the now successful Nintendo Switch platform, but the franchise is far from done. There’s plenty of hype around the franchise and gamers waiting for Nintendo to make new exciting announcements for the series.
#1 Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker was a massive hit when it was first announced and released for the Nintendo Wii U and later the Nintendo 3DS. This game put players in control of creating their own unique Super Mario Bros. levels all while deciding if they wish to use assets from the first installment, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World or New Super Mario Bros. U. If you ever enjoyed the past Super Mario Bros. titles and thought you could make a better level then this game gave you the tools to do so. Not only could you make your own levels to enjoy but the game allowed players to upload their video game levels for others to try.
As expected this game was a massive hit and it gave players endless levels to enjoy thanks to player creations. However, it’s quite odd that this title never came over to the Nintendo Switch. There’s still time, much like all of these games on our list, for Nintendo to make a port, but we would have thought this game would have been brought over relatively early into the Nintendo Switch release. After all, not only did this game review well but it won countless awards from 2015 through 2016. Perhaps Nintendo is planning on a sequel for an announcement later on which may tweak some of the mechanics and tools, to even assets, but as of right now there is no official word on the matter.
